Besides the obvious beauty of the ancient baobab, I reckon the sausage tree has the most character in the park. Not only does it look cool with the crazy sausages hanging off it, but it has a number of medicinal uses as well.

Traditionally it has been used as an antibacterial and to soothe skin disorders such as eczema. I've also read that recently the fruit has started being used in modern anti aging creams. For the muskateers, you may be more interested in the fact that it's also used traditionally in beer

Anyone else have a favourite tree in the Parks?

Missing pic removed by restio

_________________Mothers hold their children's hands for a while and their hearts forever

Well there are quite a few trees I like.
but I choose the buffalo-thorn (blinkblaar-wag-`n-bietjie).
Just have a look at the strange zig-zag way the twigs grow. at the end of each zig(zag) you can find a pair of thorns. this pair consists out of curved thorn and out of a straight one. really amazing, just have a close look. its real interesting!

plant parts used:the roots, bark or leaves are used separately or in combination.

medicinial uses:warm bark infusions (sometimes with roots or leaves added) are used as expectorants (also as emetics) in cough and chest problems, while root infusions are popular as a remedy for diarrhoea an dysentery. decoctions of roots and leaves (or chewed leaves) are applied externally to boils, sores and landular swellings, not only to promote healing but also for pain relief.

active ingredients:serveral alkaloids, are known grom Ziziphus spiecies. about 12 structurally related alkaloids from this class have been isolated from the roots, stem bark and leaves of the buffalo-thorn. mucronine D is a typical example.

Well that should do for the buffalo thorn. You can eat the berries as well, but they seems to have a laxative effect.

.....can find a pair of thorns. this pair consists out of curved thorn and out of a straight one. really amazing,

The Zulu nation belief that the straight thorn points to the future and the shorter curvedone to the past and is therfore used in burial cerimonies. the Swanas believe that lightning will strike you if you cut the tree down

I swear you guys can read my mind. Just yesterday I thought about all these that u have posted here.

Regarding the fever tree: Old travellers thought that it gave them malaria. Hence the name fever.

I am disperately trying to learn to id trees. It will be on of my challenges this trip. Hope we can have a tree quiz soon as I love trees and would like to c that more people appreciate it and realise that buying of firewood and wood crafts on way to Kruger is a death warrant to out beautifull and some majestic life forms on earth!

The Zulu nation belief that the straight thorn points to the future and the shorter curvedone to the past and is therfore used in burial cerimonies. the Swanas believe that lightning will strike you if you cut the tree down

Use the leaves with your next green salad .

well this in an interesting fact about the buffalo thorn.
I heard a story that zoeloe wil even take a twig back home with the spirrit/soul of a dead zoeloe (a not alive zoeloe). only if the body cant be brought back to its land. they use a twig to carry the soul back to his land. they will even buy two tickets for the bus. one for the spirit/soul and one for the man who is bringing back its spirit/souland back at home they preform the burial ceimonies using the twig of the buffalo thorn.
(I dont know if this is true ore false I did hear this on my trip to SA. maybe someone can help me out here?!)

I always thought why would people want to look at trees etc... I did a game ranging course and learnt all of this stuff and now i love going around been able to identify most trees and tell you stuff about them.. It now also keeps me busy if the wildlife viewing is slow.. I have taken a real likening to them.. Strange..

Jaap/Pilane you took and explained my favourite tree perfectly... Buffalo thorn...
Other favourites are apple leaf, nyala, bushwillow family

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